Decisions taken by the Cabinet at its Meeting held on 2014-05-19

May 19, 2014

01. Memorandum of Understanding between Tribhuvan University, Nepal and University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka - covering approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted to the proposal made by Hon. S.B. Dissanayake, Minister of Higher Education, for signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Tribhuvan University, Nepal and University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, with the view to promoting academic exchange and co-operation between the two countries.

02. Obtaining Non Destructive Testing (NDT) Services from the National Centre for Non-destructive Testing of the Atomic Energy Authority - Non-destructive Testing (NDT) is a process of physical inspection of metallic and non-metallic (concrete) structures without causing any damage to the structure. It is a method widely used in industry to assess whether a product is free of defects. Non-destructive Testing and relating services will certify the quality of industrial products which will, in turn contribute to industrial productivity. The proposal made by Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka, Minister of Technology and Research, that all Government Institutions, Statutory Boards and Corporations be required to obtain Non-destructive Testing Services from the National Centre for Non-destructive Testing, was approved by the Cabinet.

03. Implementation of the Recommendations of the LLRC - Upgrading of Vavuniya Gamini Vidyalaya as a National School and providing infrastructure facilities to Vavuniya Bogaswewa Vidyalaya under the Priority Programme of the Government for the acceleration of resettlement of people who have been internally displaced in Vavuniya and Mannar Districts - the proposal made by Hon. Bandula Gunawardena, Minister of Education, to upgrade Vavuniya Gamini Vidyalaya as a National School; and for the construction of a two storied building and to provide all necessary basic facilities and equipment to Vavuniya Bogaswewa Vidyalaya, to provide better education facilities to the large number of children who were displaced due to conflict situation which prevailed some time back and who have been resettled in Vavuniya and Mannar Districts, was approved by the Cabinet. During the second stage of the project, a suitable National School out of the 05 such schools in the Mannar District will be selected to be developed as a trilingual school from 2015 which will provide opportunities for Sinhala and Tamil children to learn together in the same school.

04. Establishment of an Advisory Council on Law and Order - the proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Law and Order, to establish an Advisory Council on Law and Order to obtain expertise knowledge necessary for compiling policies and plans to cover the subject field of the Ministry for the creation of a disciplined and law-abiding society, was approved by the Cabinet.

05. Tender for Supply of 1,200,000 Doses of Absorbed Diptheria Tetanus, Pertussis, Hepatitis Band Haemophilus Influenza Type "B" Conjugate Liquid, Vaccine BP, USP or EP, IP or WHO IP - the proposal made by Hon. Maithripala Sirisena, Minister of Health, to award the above-tender for a sum of US $2,340,000.00 as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC), was approved by the Cabinet.

06. The Project for the supply of Equipment of High Quality Radiotherapy with High Energy Radiation including the infrastructure for Cancer Patients in Sri Lanka - the proposal made by Hon. Maithripala Sirisena, Minister of Health, to award the contract for the construction of radiation protective bunkers at the first five priority hospitals indicated below, identified for the purpose, to the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) at an estimated cost of Rs.l,103,061,593.82, was approved by the Cabinet:

07. Construction of a four storied building complex for the Department of Statistics and Computer Science of the Faculty of Science of the University of Peradeniya - the proposal made by Hon. S.B. Dissanayaka, Minister of Higher Education, to award the above contract to the lowest evaluated substantially responsive bidder at a cost of Rs.156,220,000.00, as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC), was approved by the Cabinet. 08. Construction of a building complex to launch new Degree Programmes for the enhancement of the ICT Industry in Sri Lanka - University of Kelaniya - the urgency of upgrading the Information and Communication Technology (lCT) related new Degree Programmes and ICT based higher educational facilities in Universities has been emphasized in order to address the demand for ICT professionals in that sector. Accordingly, the Department of Industrial Management of the University of Kelaniya has planned to introduce three new degree programmes, namely, B.Sc. in Software Engineering, B.Sc. in Information Technology, and B.Sc. in Management and Information Technology and to open an ICT Centre with the purpose of offering practical knowledge for students to develop open software and fulfilling their requirements in relation to the software solutions and maintenance. The proposal made by Hon. S.B. Dissanayake, Minister of Higher Education, to construct a storied building complex for the University of Kelaniya at a total cost ofRs.500 million and to proceed with the relevant activities, was approved by the Cabinet.

09. Award of construction work of the University College proposed to be established in Batangala in Dehiowita Divisional Secretariat Division in Kegalle District and modification and improvement works at the existing training center to be converted as the University College proposed to be established at Sapugaskanda in Gampaha District to the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) - the proposal made by Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma, Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development, to award the construction works of the above projects as indicated below, was approved by the Cabinet:

* construction of the University College, Batangala in Kegalle District at a total cost of Rs.259.94 million, to the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB); and

* modification and improvements to the existing Training Centre of the National Youth Services Council at Sapugaskanda in the Gampaha District, to be converted to. a University College, at a total cost of Rs.153.64 million, to a suitable contractor selected through open tender procedure.

10. Increasing the Credit amount of Special Drawing Rights 53.7 million already Committed by the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank for the Skills Development Project by another Special Drawing Rights 12.0 million - Cabinet approval has already been granted to conduct loan negotiations with the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank to borrow Special Drawing Rights (SDR) 53.7 million (US $83 million) for the implementation of the Skills Development Project with contributions from the Sri Lanka Government as well. The IDA has now agreed to provide a further SDR 12.0 million for the purpose, making the total contributions to be SDR 65.7 million (US $101.5 million). The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to proceed with the activities relating to the loan agreement, was approved by the Cabinet.

11. Japanese Human Resources Development Scholarship Programme - The Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resources Development Scholarship Programme was introduced to Sri Lanka by the Government of Japan in 2010 for capacity building of the executive level public sector officials of Sri Lanka by way of providing opportunities for them to undergo Post Graduate Degree Programmes in prominent Universities in Japan. The Government of Japan has agreed to provide grant assistance in a sum of JP Y215 million (approximately Rs.245 million) to Sri Lanka for the implementation of the above Scholarship Programme in 2014. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to proceed with the related activities, was approved by the Cabinet.

12. The Rehabilitation of Priority Roads with Financial Assistance from Local Banks - The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to enter into loan agreements with domestic banks to obtain financial assistance for the rehabilitation and improvements to the following sections of roads, was approved by the Cabinet: